Appearances by

At 33 saxophonist Paul Booth started noticing the number 3 illuminated everywhere as he toured internationally …. the idea for a trio album started forming, which gave him the freedom to work with a range of musicians, and stretching the instrumentation employed. 3 trios x 3 tracks each.

First call was touring confrere New York drummer Clarence Penn who brought in Matt Brewer on bass for 4 hours in the studio and they immediately hit their stride exploring the harmonic and melodic ideas possible with this lineup. The form of the second trio, ran with Paul’s love of Hammond B3 organ developed over his years of touring with Steve Winwood, and a get-together in a UK studio in what has become Paul’s core trio, with Ross Stanley on organ and Andrew Bain on drums. Trio 3 was an opportunity to work with Phil Robson on guitar and Adriano Adewale on percussion, both of whom had been in Paul’s bands over the years, but they had never tested their range of possibilities as a trio.

The result is an exuberant, lissom album, which has been 18 months in the making, but arrives fresh.

www.paulboothsax.com

Reviews

14/03/2012 Chris Parker (London Jazz)

Frequently referred to as a 'first-call' sideman (his supremely adaptable and reliable saxophone skills have been utilised by everyone from Steve Winwood and Eric Clapton to Jane Monheit and Snowboy),Paul Booth is also a highly respected leader and composer, and Trilateral provides him with an excellent showcase for both these skills.When he arrived at the age of 33, he started seeing the number three everywhere, so conceived the idea of an album featuring three trios, to play three pieces each, somehow connected with the number (non-originals include Charles Mingus's 'Self-Portrait in Three Colours' and Jaco Pastorius's 'Three Views of a Secret'). His first call was to US drummer Clarence Penn, who recommended bassist Matt Brewer, and this trio ('improvisers from the soul', according to Booth) demonstrates (as many saxophonists, including – most famously – Sonny Rollins and Joe Henderson, have found over the years) that the pianoless format confers great improvisational freedom on a resourceful player, and can produce (as here, in spades) fiercely interactive, gutsy music.Booth's second call was to his regular working band: Ross Stanley (Hammond B3 organ) and Andrew Bain (drums), which – as Booth comments – is characterised by 'fire and energy', but also versatile enough to negotiate all the twists and turns of both the aforementioned Pastorius piece(including a brief free-ish passage) and the haunting melodic path of the Mingus composition.Guitarist Phil Robson and Brazilian percussionist Adriano Adewale make up the third trio, and Booth provides them with a couple of propulsive Brazilian- flavoured themes, plus Nick Drake's 'Three Hours', showcasing his own agile soprano in the process, and blending seamlessly on both saxophones with the consistently subtle Robson over Adewale's delicate rhythmic patter.Given the slightly unsettling effect of constant change resulting from the album's running order (the trios play tracks 1/4/7, 2/5/8, 3/6/9 respectively), listeners may like to reorder the pieces to concentrate on particular trios by turn, but however it's experienced, Trilateral provides a rich and varied programme centred on the considerable resources of one of the UK's mostaccomplished saxophonists.

12/03/2012 Lance Liddle (Bebop Spoken Here)

Trio 1: Paul Booth (ten); Matt Brewer (bs); Clarence Penn (dms).Trio 2: Paul Booth (ten);Ross Stanley (org); Andrew Bain (dms).Trio 3: Paul Booth (ten/sop); Phil Robson (gtr); Adriano Adewale (perc.)Three different trios, three tracks each with a tri-related title. Add a 33 year old leader and you have a truly tritanic affair!As the person who sold Paul (or rather his dad) his first tenor sax I feel perversely proud of his achievements of which this disc is a grand endorsement of where he's at today.Each trio brings a different approach. Brewer and Penn lay back and let Booth meander meaningfully through some delightful musical countryside.The organ trio is a different ball game Stanley brings out the beast in Booth and both men go for the jugular egged on by Bain - power playing by all three. Having said that, The Mingus piece (Self Portrait in Three Colours) is perhaps the most beautiful track on the album. The tone clean, the ideas seemingly effortless with Stanley bringing an almost cathedral-like presence to the track.Phil Robson's guitar lines prove the perfect foil for Booth to unleash his melodic side once more. Robson too has some intricate lines of his own.Of the nine compositions six are by Booth plus Osvoldo Farres' Tres Palabras, Mingus' Self Portrait in Three Colours and Nick Drakes' Three Hours.This is a Five star disc but, playing the numbers game I'll give it 15!Paul Booth's Trilateral (Pathway Records PBCD 0103) is to be released on April 16 with the official launch at the 606 Club, London SW10 0QD, on April 19.

Once you have chosen your
CD you can either buy online using a credit/debit card or pay
by cheque if you prefer.All cards are processed on a secure
server with Thawte authenticationWe accept Visa, Visa Debit,
Mastercard, Switch, Solo, JCB

In a hurry? Hate
filling in forms? Worried about the internet? Need help? Call
us on 020 7724 2389